Michael R Smith

Rochester Hills, Michigan
Michael R Smith Expert Witness
Curriculum Vitae

Publications

Contact this Expert Witness

  • Company: AdventureSmith, Inc.
  • Phone: 248-481-2568
  • Cell: 248-321-4968
  • Fax: 248-212-0070
  • Website: adventuresmithinc.com

Specialties & Experience of this Expert Witness

General Specialties:

Athletics & Recreation and Risk Management

Specialty Focus:

zipline, zip lines, zipline accident, zipline braking, zipline brake system, zipline construction, zipline death, zipline safety, residential/backyard zipline, zipline standards, aerial adventure course, aerial adventure course standards, ropes course, challenge course, climbing, ACCT, ASTM, NAARSO

Education:

BA: Wilderness Leadership, 1998, Prescott College; MTD: Training & Development, 2004, Oakland University; Level II Inspector, Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT); Level II Inspector, National Association Of Amusement Ride Safety Officials (NAARSO)

Years in Practice:

26

Number of Times Deposed/Testified in Last 4 Yrs:

5

Additional Information

Michael R. Smith is an industry-leading adventure tour operator and business consultant with more than 28 years of experience designing, developing, and operating zip line canopy tours, aerial adventure parks, and traditional challenge course programs. Smith serves as the managing partner of ArborTrek Canopy Adventures (https://arbortrek.com), an award-winning zip line canopy tour and aerial adventure park operator based in northern Vermont, and President of AdventureSmith, Inc. (https://adventuresmithinc.com), a niche consultancy offering risk management consulting, staff training and development services, technical inspections, adventure program audits, and business development services to zip line and adventure tour operators. Smith holds degrees in Wilderness Leadership from Prescott College (1998) and a Masters in Training and Development from Oakland University (2004). He has worked with numerous Fortune 500 companies as a business consultant, authored and published climbing guides, worked as a field instructor for the Outward Bound School, and is regularly retained as a zip line and adventure park expert witness. Smith served as a Board of Director Member for the Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT) from February 2014 to February 2017 and currently serves as a member of the ACCT Accreditation and Certification Committee. He is a participating member of the ASTM F24.61 sub-committee, which oversees the development and maintenance of ASTM F2959 Standard Practice for Special Requirements for Aerial Adventure Courses. He is certified as an ACCT Level II Inspector, NAARSO Level II Inspector, ACCT Approved Operation Reviewer, and Ontario TSSA Zip Line Mechanic. While Smith's work conducting inspections, training staff, and consulting have taken him to almost every U.S. state and abroad, he has been retained to investigate accidents and opine on matters in Alaska, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.